As “Born-frees” conclude their Matric: Do they enjoy equal freedom? Yanga Sithethe and Lukhanyo Mangona In 1994 South Africa got her freedom and for the first time all people in the country despite their race achieved universal suffrage. Subsequent to this on 1st May 1994 Mr. Nelson Mandela was crowned a first democratic President of our land. In Long Walk To Freedom published a year later after his becoming the president Nelson Mandela states that “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation.” This would have given many parents and children then serious hope that the state of education will be given critical attention by the new government as opposed to the unjust Apartheid regime. Leading up to the start of exams last month was a serious media fan-fare about first and historic matriculation exams of the first children that were born under democracy-“born-frees”. As we draw to a close today-27 November 2012- of these historic matric exams one is compelled to look critically at the life and the meaning of these so-called born frees. Indeed the South Africa is justified to take pride at her “born-frees” and hope that they will chart a new future for the country which is minimally affected by demons of the colonial and apartheid regime. As these noble hopes settle in many hearts and minds of parents and children in our country the unfortunate reality remain opposite for the vast majority of working class township and rural “born-free”. It is well documented that during the apartheid era black people were deliberately offered an inferior education that by the words of Verwoerd would ensure that they will be garden boy or domestic workers. We have read in our Equal Education youth groups that the apartheid government also deliberately spent very little amount on black African(R146) child compared to their White(R1211), Indian(R771) and Coloured(R498) counterparts. We have taken time to read a study done by Dr. Tshepo Moloi an academic with Wits University on how education was for children in our township Tembisa, in Gauteng. In his study he shares some stories from people and this one from Mongezi Maphuthi is telling: “Well in Tembisa high when we arrived we were rather too many. In our class we were about 70 or 80. And there was a shortage of classes and schools in 1974. And what happened was that we were taken to Mvelaphanda Primary School at Sthama section. That [school became] a branch of the high school. I mean teachers would have a period at the high school and move down to Sthama to attend our period. I remember teacher Molala who was teaching us Agriculture would move from there and come to Sthama”. We cite this history because when our mothers and fathers fought against the evil Apartheid system they knew that their children deserve better and should receive better quality of life. The problem we have with the whole concept of “born-frees” is that it is sold as if this a homogenous group of young people. An example of this when etv aired a show called Born-Frees Show in 2009. As noble as the show intentions are but we are saddned by its continued exclusive featuring of the haves children and leaving the marginalized working class born-frees out. Let us forget for a little the “born-frees” Nosipho and Tom in Houghton and hone in on the working class “born-frees”. Many “born-frees” that we encounter in our work in Tembisa and other townships and rural areas where Equal Education tell of a different story. Their parents are really desperate to ensure that they receive quality education which is equal to those of haves. The realities in the schools they attend in the past 12yrs are horrifying and have been demonstrated many times by Equal Education. Also we feel that this whole “born-free” attention doesn’t mirror the reality of the journey of these born-frees. In a month’s time Minister Motshekga will parade a handful of “born-frees” that have achieved whilst thousands of our children remain hopeless. Sithethe is a “born free” in matric and member of Equal Education and Mangona is head of Equal Education Tembisa Branch